Repositioning Learners as Explainers: Peer Learning Through Student-Generated Videos in Undergraduate Mathematics

Short-form video platforms increasingly shape students’ media practices, yet little is known about the pedagogical value of student-generated videos in university mathematics. This study examined an intervention in a first-year mathematics course at a European university in which students produced 1–2 min explanatory videos solving integration problems and subsequently engaged in peer evaluation of selected exemplars. A mixed-methods design was employed, combining coursework and final examination scores with interview data. No statistically significant performance gains were observed; however, strong positive correlations between coursework, final examination and overall grade indicated stable achievement patterns across assessment points. Qualitative analysis suggested that the process of producing short instructional videos encouraged students to reflect on explanatory clarity, peer perspectives, and the communication of mathematical reasoning, despite linguistic and technical challenges. Overall, the findings provide exploratory insights into how student-generated videos can be integrated into undergraduate mathematics courses as a low-stakes instructional activity supporting reflective engagement and peer-oriented explanation. This study contributes to the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) in STEM education by offering an empirically grounded account of a media-based, peer-oriented learning activity in a university mathematics context.